Resilient mounting means for a resiliently supported feeding mechanism



Nov. 7, 1939.

F. A. NICHOLSON Er A1.

RESILIENT MOUNTING MEANS FOR A RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Nov. 7, 1939. F. AA NICHOLSON ET AL 2,178,541

RESILIENT MOUNTING MEANS FOR A RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 7, 1939. F. A. NICHOLSON ET AL 2.178.54

RESILIENT MOUNTING MEANS FOR A RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED FEEDING MECHANSM Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 3 She@'CS-Sheel N o 15; A GW. IIHVINNLHHUHINJ 5H o H GH||||||JH|UMIIH|U MNH M HRM u WP A TK cY OMB m E 4 5 W 2. 55 f 5 x Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RESILIENT MOUNTENG MEANS FOR A RE- SILIENTLY SUPPORTED FEEDING lWECH- ANISM of Washington Application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 116,963

5 Claims.

Our invention relates to a resilient mounting means for a resiliently supported feeding mechamsm.

It is an object of this invention to provide a resilient mounting means which is adapted to resiliently support a feeding mechanism, such as a feed bed or feed rolls, which feeding mechanism is adapted to feed a material, such as lumber, past an operating tool, such as a rotating cutter head.

This application is related to our co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 116,960, 116,961, 116,962, 116,964 and 116,965, which are being simultaneously filed herewith, and which co-pending applications claim some of the inventions herein disclosed.

It is more particularly an object of the invention to provide a supporting frame, for mounting thereon a feeding mechanism, which supporting frame is mounted for movement with a pivotally mounted arm and is also pvotally mounted on said arm.

It is more particularly an object of this invention to provide a resiliently supported means which will yieldingly resist movement from a predetermined position of such a mounted supporting frame.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a supporting frame for feeding means so that opposed feeding means may feed successive pieces of material of varying thickness past an operating tool.

In the prior art, where a plurality of opposed feeding rolls were employed, such rolls were independently mounted so that the difference between two opposed rolls wouldY conform to the varying thicknesses of pieces of material passing therebetween. Such practice, of independently mounting the feed rolls, brings about serious limitations to the feeding of a plurality of rolls and is not practically applicable for use in connection with endless feed beds. When opposed endless feed beds were used in the prior art, a plurality of resilient means throughout the length of the feed bed were used each to depress a particular portion of the feed bed to permit the feed bed at that portion to conform independently of other portions of the feed bed to the varying sizes of material passing between feed beds. However, in all such prior art devices, the feed rolls or feed beds were not supported by a single supporting means and considerable troubles were encountered when it was attempted to reverse the direction of feed of the driven feed rolls or driven feed beds.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior art and provide an adjustably mounted frame on which may be mounted feed rolls or a feed bed and to mount such adjustable frame so that the feeding means thereon will conform to successive pieces of material, even though such pieces of material are of varying thickness. It is also an object of the invention to provide a vfeeding mechanism which may be reversed in the direction of feed without difficulties obtaining thereby.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, efcient and practical mechanism for resiliently mounting a feeding mechanism which will be practical and prevent costly shut-downs and continual repair of the mechanism.

It is more particularly an object of the invention to provide a feeding member supporting frame, which is pivotally mounted on a pivotally mounted arm, together with resiliently mounted supporting means connected with said supporting frame means and resisting pivotal movement of said frame means on or with said pivotal supporting means.

The above mentioned general objects of our invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the mechanism, illustrated in the following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary forms of embodiment of our invention, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure l is a View in elevation, with the feed beds shown by dot and dash lines, of a planer mechanism embodied in this invention;

Fig. 2 is a detached fragmentary view on a larger scale, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the feeding means embodied in this invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view on a somewhat reduced scale, as respects Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating one position by dot and dash lines and another position by dotted lines which the feeding mechanism may assume as it pivots about the supporting arm therefor;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing one position by dot and dash lines and another position by dotted lines which the feeding mechanism may assume upon pivotal movement of the supporting arm therefor; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, and on a smaller scale than Fig. 2, of a modified form of the invention showing feed rolls instead of feed beds.

In describing and illustrating this invention we have shown the same as applicable in connection with. the driving of endless feed beds and feed rolls of a planing device. It is to be expressly understood that this invention is not limited to any such specific application and the same is set forth. on y as illustrative of one environment in which this invention may be utilized.

In Figure l all of the details of the planer mechanism are not shown and such mechanism will be only generally described, as such details are not considered essential to this invention. A frame IO supports the planer mechanism. The infeeding mechanism, generally indicated by I I in Figure I, includes an upper feed bed I 8 and a lower feed bed i9, and it is the resilient mounting means for a feed bed or feed rolls, such as the lower feed. bed I9, which constitutes the invention of this application and the same will be particularly discussed after a general reference to the other portions of Figure l. This infeeding mechanism Il urges lumber stock past a lower cutter head mechanism I2 and an upper cutter head mechanism It. The lumber is then urged past edge matcher mechanism indicated generally by Id. Lower and upper face pattern forming cutter head mechanisms l5 and I5 may be provided in connection with the planer mechanism. The outfeeding mechanism, details of which are not shown, is generally indicated by il, and may be employed in connection with the planer mechanism. This outfeeding mechanism is subject of our co-pending application Serial No. 115,950. This outfeeding mechanism serves to drive feed rolls to remove the finished lumber from the machine.

Referring to Fig. 2: Two opposed feed beds, as upper feed bed IS and lower feed bed it, are illustrated. One of these feed beds, such as upper feed bed IS, may have the endless feeding chain Ef! supported to travel in a predetermined plane. The other feed bed, such as lower feed bed l, is supported so that the endless feeding chain thereof may operate in a plurality of planes, see par-- ticularly Figs. 4 and 5.

The upper feed bed I8 comprises plurality of driven sprockets 22 and 23 mounted on shafts 24 and 25, which shafts are journaled in frame 2S of the upper feed bed. This frame is connected with the main frame iii of the machine and the shafts 24 and 25 are connected with a source of power, not shown. The mounting of the frame 25 and the driving connection. of shafts 2d and 25, is disclosed and described in our said related application. In view of the fact that the same constitutes no part of this invention, and in the interest of brevity, they are not here particularly disclosed or described. A plurality of rollers El serve to support the lower lap of the endless feeding chain 2G. The rollers 2l the type of endless feeding chain 2li to feed th eover are well known on the market and compi one type of endless conveyor feed bed with which this invention may be utilized. Such rollers Zl'l and the type of chain 2S which is fed thereover, constitute no part of this invention and merely illustrate operative parts of one lype cf an ed bed. A shoe 28 is pivotally connected by p vot means 2S to arms of the bell crank levers The bell crank levers 35i are pivotally supported by frame The othe of the bell crank levers ila are piyotally connected wi links Ill. Links 3i slidably pass thro 'fh projections supported by the frame Sp ositioned on links SI between the proj-lotions "i and the nut means Thus the tb ough the links and bell cranks illust-rated, tend to urge the ndless shoe 28 upwardly and tend to keep the slack out of the endless feeding chain 2li.

The lower feed bed I9 comprises a plurality of sprockets 35 and 36 similar to sprockets 22 and 23 of the upper fed bed I8. These sprockets are supported on shafts 3'! and which shafts are journaled in frame 39. Rollers, similar to rollers 21 of the upper feed bed i8, and tightener means (not shown) may be employed in connection with the lower feed bed.

An arm 4I is pivotally supported by pivot means 42 from the main frame l?) of the machine. The swinging end of the arm 4I is pivotally secured by pivot means dll with the frame 39 of the lower feed bed I9. Thus the feed bed i9 and the endless feeding chain 2l thereover may pivot on the pivot means 4l) and may assume positions, such as shown by dotted lines and dot and dash lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Also the arm 4i may pivot on the pivot means and the lower feed bed I9 and the endless feeding chain 2l thereof may assume positions, such shown by dotted lines or by dot and dash lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Thus the arm Il! serves as an upper pivotally mounted supporting means pivotally connected with the frame of the lower feed bed.

Movement of the lower feed bed I9 about the pivots 43 or 42 is resisted by spring 43, 44 and 45. A substantially horizontal link 4G is pivotally connected by pivot means il with the frame 39 of the lower feed bed lQ. and nut means 48 is threadedly connected with the link 43. The spring 44 is slidingly positioned on the link 4G and positioned between the nut means 48 and collar 49, which collar is slidingly positioned on link means 45. The spring means is slidingly positioned on link lli and positioned between the collar 49 and other nut means 58. Bv adiusting nut means 48 and 5i! the means i4 and lil may be properly tensioned. The collar 49 is pivotally secured by pivot means E! with the moin frame I of the machine. Thus, the spring means 44 and 45 resiliently urge the frame means 39 towards an upright position, yieldingly resist-- ing angular movement of the frame means The spring means tend to urge the frame means 39 into the desired vertical position. A substantially vertical link means is also pivotally connected with the lower portion of the frame means 39 and may pivotally connect with the pivot means 4l.

A nut means 53 is threadedly connected with the link means 52. The spring means 4.3 is slidingly positioned on link and positioned between the nut means a sleeve 54. This sleeve 54 is rotatably mounted within hub 55. A plate G (Fig. 3) secures the sleeve Eil in place. The hub 55 is cut away, top and bottom, to permit the spring means 43, link 52 and nut means 51 to move in such out away portions. Nut means 5l serves to tension spring d3 between nut means 53 and sleeve 54. The hub 55 is connected with bell crank lever 53 and may be integral therewith. Bell crank lever 5B is pivotally supported by a shaft Ill which is mounted on the main frame IU of the machine. The other arm of the bell crank lever 58 connects with adjustng means to vertically position the sleeve 5d. By vertically positioning the sleeve 54, the frame 38 and in turn the feed bed i9 are adjustably vertically positioned. The adjusting means for ancularly moving the bell crank lever 53 may be in the form of a link 59 having one end pivotaly ccnnected with the bell crank lever 58 and the other end connected with a screw 6U. A worm wheel 62 is rotatably mounted within a frame means 6l attached to the main frame I0 of the machine. The worm wheel 62 is internally threadedly connected with the screw 60 and meshes with a worm 63. Thus by angularly moving the worm B3 through the worm wheel and links and levers shown, the frame means 39 may be vertically adjusted. Also similar spring tension will be provided by the spring means 43 regardless of the vertical position of the frame means 39.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings we have shown a modified form of the invention. Here a frame means 64 (similar to frame means 23) supports two upper feed rolls 65 and $6. The feed rolls 65 and 66 are connected to a source of power (not shown). The lower feed rolls 61 and 68 are mounted in a frame means 69 which is similarly mounted to the frame means 39. The parts of the supporting means for the frame means 59, being identical with the supporting means of the frame means 39, are similarly numbered and no further description thereof will be given.

Thus, we have provided means resiliently supporting a frame which is pivotally secured on a swinging portion of a pivotally mounted arm.

On such frame may be mounted a feed bed or feed rolls as desired. This provides a movement of a feed bed which may be likened to the movement of a persons arm and hand, viz., the arm may rise and fall at the shoulder joint and the hand may rise and fall at the Wrist joint with or independent of the movement at the shoulder joint.

In the foregoing we have described the invention as applicable to a planing device, such as disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 91,568, Patent No. 2,102,186, dated Dec. 14, 1937. In such a planing device the lower bed is resiliently mounted as distinguished from the prior art planing machines where the upper beds are resiliently mounted. Obviously the invention herein can be readily adapted to ordinary planing machines, as well as to the planing mechanism disclosed in said application Serial No. 91,568.

Obviously, changes may be made in the forms, dimensions and arrangement of the parts of our invention, without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment.

We claim.:

1. In a device of the class described, a feeding member; a feeding member supporting frame means; an upper pivotally mounted supporting means having its swinging portion pivotally connected with said supporting frame means; and a lower resiliently mounted supporting means connected with said supporting frame means and resisting the movement in two directions of the feeding member supporting frame means afforded by the upper pivotally mounted supporting means.

2. In a device of the class described, a feeding member; a feeding member supporting frame means supporting said feeding member for feeding in substantially a horizontal plane; an upper pivotally mounted supporting means having its swinging portion pivotally connected with said supporting frame means; a substantially vertically positioned resiliently supported member pivota-lly connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means; and a substantially horizontally positioned resiliently supported member pivotally connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means, whereby movement of the frame means and feeding member supported thereby will be resiliently resisted in horizontal and vertical directions.

3. In a device of the class described, a feeding member; a feeding member supporting frame means supporting said feeding member for feeding in substantially a horizontal plane; an upper pivotally mounted supporting means having its swinging portion pivotally connected with said supporting frame means; a substantially vertically positioned resiliently and pivotally supported member having its swinging portion pivotally connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means; and a substantially horizontally positioned resiliently and pivotally supported member having its swinging portion pivotally connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means, whereby movement of the frame means and feeding member supported thereby will be resiliently resisted in horizontal and vertical directions.

4. In a device of the class described, a feeding member; a feeding member supporting frame means supporting said feeding member for feeding in substantially a horizontal plane; an upper pivotally mounted supporting means having its swinging portion pivotally connected with said supporting frame means; a substantially vertically positioned resiliently and pivotally supported member having its swinging portion pivotally connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means; an adjusting means for moving said last mentioned member in a vertical direction; and a substantially horizontally positioned resiliently and pivotally supported member having its swinging portion. pivotally connected with the lower portion of said supporting frame means, whereby movement of the frame means and feeding member supported thereby will be resiliently resisted in horizontal and vertical directions.

5. In a device of the class described, a feeding member comprising spaced apart feeding devices; a feeding member supporting frame means mounting said spaced apart feeding devices; a pivotally mounted supporting means having its swinging portion pivotally connected With said supporting frame means intermediate the spaced apart feeding devices, whereby the spaced apart feeding devices may angularly move as respects the pivotal mounting of the frame means and as respects the pivotal mounting of the supporting means; and a resiliently mounted supporting means connected with said supporting frame means and resisting said movements of the feeding devices.

FREDERICK A. NICHOLSON. WILMOT T. PRITCI-IARD. 

